Dispensing device.



D. l. MATTHEWS.

DISPENSING DEVICE.

7 -APPLICATION. FILED APR. 30. I914.

1 $03,763. I Patented Nov, 711916.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INvENTOR DAVID J MATTHEWS DAVID J. MATTHEWS, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

DISPENSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. *7, 1916.

Application filed April 30, 1914. Serial No. 835,546.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, DAVID J. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Seattle, King county, l/Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dispensing devices, and particularly to devices for dispensing semi-fluid or pasty material by extrusion.

The specific purpose for which it is chiefly intended is for dispensing soap which is in a soft or pasty condition.

The features of novelty in my invention will be defined by the claims terminating this specification.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the construction which is now most preferred by me.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the soap container being shown in section. Figs. 3 and it are diflerent views of the operating lever Fig. 5 is a plan view of the piston feeding. collar. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the split nut.

This device is more particularly intended for dispensing a pasty quality of soap,-

although it is evident that it may be as well used for dispensing any pasty or semi-fluid product which is capable of being extruded through an orifice connected with a container when pressure is applied thereto. I will, however, herein describe it as used with soap, as it is convenient to refer to some specific material, but without intending that its usebe limited to soap.r I

The form of container preferred and shown in the drawings is a cylinder 2, which is open at one end and at the other end-isv closed by a head 22 which is provided with an orifice through which the soap is forced. I haveshown'this as being in the form of a tube 23which projects horizontally.

I provide a section, 24:, at the bottom of the cylinderg which is of a little less diameter than the main body -of the cylinder, a ledge 21 being formed a short distance up from the bottom. r

In the main part of the cylinder 2'is inserted a carton or soap container 20 which, when itisinserted in the device, is-in'the form ,ofi a headless tubehaving walls of thicknessequalingthe width of the ledge 21,

whereby the inner surface of the carton 20 and of the reduced section 24, are of the same diameter. This permits the piston 3 to fit and slide equally well in carton and the bottom section 24. The purpose of this construction is that there be provided a certain amount of soap; which will permit continued delivery of soap after the carton has itself been emptied.

The frame or base for the mechanism comprises a socket or inverted cup 10 which receives the upper or open end of the cylinder 2. The manner of joining these together which I prefer is to provide one with bayonet slots 25 and the-other with pins 26.

This permits easy and rapid removal and replacement. The remainder of the frame or base may be of any shape desired, but a preferred form is that of a flange 1 having ears providing for the passage of three securing screws as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The hole in the base'or frame through which the piston rod 30 passes is large enough to freely pass the rod. Above the table 11 which closes the upper 'end of the cylinder, is provided a nut which engages the threaded piston rod. If means be provided for producing successive fractional rotations between nut and piston rod, and this be associated with an .advance movement of the piston rod, successive small amounts of the soap will be forced out through the tube 23.

The nut 4 is best made as two parts which are capable of separation, whereby the return of the piston to its uppermost position may be quickly done by opening the nut and pushing the piston up. The two parts of the nut are pivotally secured by pins 45 to a plate 40 which plate is secured by a pin 41, which enters a hole in the top 11 of the frame so that the plate and the nut mounted thereon cannot be turned. The hole -l6 in the frame should be 'deep enough to permit a slightreciprocation of the pin 41 therein. The plate 4.0 is normally carried slightly above the frame, as is showninFig. 2, by a when the nut-is closed is undersufiicient tension that if'the two parts of the nut are freed the spring will act to separate them. At the opposite end of the nut I have shown a spring clamping bar 413, secured by one end to one part of the nut and with a hook 1% formed in its other end and adapted to engage in a slight notch formed in the outer,

side of the other part of the nut. It is an easy matter to pull the hook a l off of the nut a suflicient distance to permit the spring 42 to act to separate the two parts of the nut.

Immediately above and resting upon the slit nut is a collar 5, which collar is provided with a. tongue or pin which enters the groove 31 in the threaded piston rod, whereby rotation of the collar 5 will turn the pis ton rod, and thus serve to advance the piston.

A lever 6 is mounted by pivots upon the upper end of arms 13 which extend upward from each side of the frame. This lever is provided with a pair of cams 61, located so as to engage the upper surface of'the collar 5 at each side of the piston rod. By throwing the lever down from the position shown in Fig. 2 the cams will depress the collar 5, and this acting upon the split nut l will depress the piston 3 and thus force a small amount of soap through the tube 23.

Thebody of the lever 6 is directly connected with one of the cams 61. The two cams 61 are connected by means of a bar 62, which is so located as to not interfere with the piston rod 30. The pivot 60 of this lever is preferably in such a position that, were the two sides of the lever connected by an extension at this point, this extension would interfere with the piston rod. This connection is therefore made below and to the rear of the pivot, asis clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

One of the cams 61 is provided with a downwardl extendin ear 63 which serves.

as an arm upon which to pivot a pawl 64, by which the collar 5 is turned. The flange 51 at the base of the collar is provided with a series of holes 52, or with equivalent ratchet teeth, which are engaged by the pawl 64 so as to turn the collar the distance between the holes 52, which as herein shown, is one-sixth of a revolution. This movement is preferably accomplished during the return movement of the lever, as at this time there is no appreciable pressure between the collar and the nut to produce friction. The lever 6 is returned to its uppermost or normal position by means of a spring 65 which is connected -to an arm 66 on the lever and to the upper part of the frame. A spring as at 67 may be employed to hold-the pawl down upon the flange of the collar.

The operation of my device is as follows: When it is desired to obtain a supply of soap for washing, the lever 6 is pulled down. The

cam 61 acting upon the collar 5 depresses the collar, and this carries with it the nut i, which also depresses the piston 3 an amount sufficient to force out a small quantity of soap. WVhen the lever 6 is released, spring 65 or any other suitable spring causes the lever to rise. The depression of the lever throws back the pawl 64: so as to cause it to engage with a new hole 52. WVhen the lever rises the pawl 64 is advanced, thus turning the collar 5, and with it thepiston rod 30. When the lever rises the spring 47 which is beneath the plate which carries the nut, raises the nut and collar a short distance, which distance, may, however, be less than the total amount of depression caused by the action of the cams 61. This rise of the nut may be very slight, as it would have to draw the piston with it. It is, however, an amount at least equal to the difference in elevation due to the partial rotation of the piston rod caused by the turning movement communicated through the collar 5. The chief purpose of this upward pressure caused by the spring 47 is to relieve the piston 3 of the pressure which caused the extrusion of the soap. I have found by experience that unless this pressure is released, the soap will continue to ooze out through the tube 23, while'if this pressure is released the flow of soap will be immediately stopped.

l/Vhen the piston 3 has been forced down to a point where it has passed the lower end of the carton 20, the cylinder 2 should be removed, ancl the carton 20 taken out and replaced by a. full carton. These cartons are provided with heads closing their ends until they are to be used, when these heads are removed and the headless carton inserted in the cylinder.

When the cylinder is removed from its socket the spring catch 43 is pulled out so that the split nut separates, permitting the piston rod being forced to its uppermost position. The parts of the nut are then brought together and held by forcing the spring catch into its locking position. The cylinder 2 is then inserted within its socket and secured in place.'

Vhat I claim as myinvention and desire to patent is:

1. In a machine for dispensing a material by extrusion, a container, a carton of a shape and size to fit snugly within said container and void of heads when inserted therein, a piston fitting closely in said carton, the lower or bottom end of the cylinder being reduced in diameter to form a ledge of a width equaling the thickness of the carton wall, whereby the piston must travel beyond the 'end of the carton before emptying the cylinder.

2. In a machine for dispensing a material by extrusion, a frame, a piston and means for operating it carried by the frame,

cylinder provided with readily detachable means for securing it to the frame in position'to receive the piston, said cylinder having an interior diameter from one end to near its other end which is greater than that of the piston, the remainder of its length having an inner diameter conforming to that of the piston, and a headless carton fitting into said cylinder and having an inner diameter conforming to that of the piston.

3. In a mechanism for dispensing a material by extrusion, a cylinder serving as a container for the material to be dispensed, a piston fitting within the cylinder and acting as the extruding agent, a threaded piston rod, a nut fitting said rod, means for producing relative rotative movement between nut and rod, and means for reciproeating said nut to advance the piston.

l. In a mechanism for dispensing a material by extrusion, a cylinder serving as a container for the material to be dispensed, a piston fitting within the cylinder and act ing as the extruding agent, a threaded piston rod, a nut fitting said rod, said nut being mounted to have limited reciprocative movement lengthwise the rod, means for producing relative rotative movement between nut and rod, and a pivoted lever in position to engage said nut to reciprocate it and thereby advance the piston.

5. In a mechanism for dispensing a material by extrusion, a cylinder serving as a container for the material to be dispensed, a piston fitting within the cylinder and acting as the extruding agent, a threaded pis ton rod, a nut fitting said rod and mounted to have a limited reciprocative movementin the direction of thelength of the rod, means for producing relative rotative movement between nut and rod, a spring acting upon the nut to retract the piston and means for applying power to said nut to advance the piston.

6. In a mechanism for dispensing a material by extrusion, a cylinder serving as a container for the material to be dispensed, a piston fitting within the cylinder and acting as the extruding agent, a threaded piston rod, a nut fitting said rod, means for producing relative rotative movement between nut and rod, a spring acting upon the nut to retract the piston, and a pivoted lever having a cam surface engaging the nut.

7. In a mechanism for dispensing a terial by extrusion, a cylinder serving as a container for the material to be dispensed and having a discharge orifice, an extruding piston fitting the cylinder, a threaded piston rod, a nut on said rod forming a thrust member, a rotative collar fitting about the rod, means for producing a relative rotation between nut and piston rod by the rotaspring tion of the collar, a lever having actuative engagement with said collarto advance the piston and a collar rotative means carried bythe said lever and acting on the return movement of the lever; Y

8. In a device of the character described, a piston and threaded rod therefor, a thrust nut on said rod mounted to have a limited reciprocative movement in the direction of the length of the rod, means for producing relative rotation between said nut and said rod, means for applying power to said nut to move it in one direction, and a spring acting to move said nut in the other direction.

9. In a device of the character described, a piston, a threaded rod therefor, a split nut engaging said rod and mounted to have a limited reciprocative movement in the direction of the length of the rod, means for looking said nut parts together, means for producing relative rotation between said nut and said rod, and means for reciprocating said nut to thereby advance the piston.

10. In a device for dispensing material by extrusion, a frame having a cylinderreceiving socket, a container cylinder fitting said socket and provided with an extruding orifice, means for securing the cylinder in its socket, piston fitting said cylinder, a rod for the piston having supporting and guiding engagement from the frame, a nut having threaded engagement with the piston rod, a lever pivoted upon the frame and provided with a cam adapted to act upon the nut, and also with means for turning the nut, and a spring under the nut and acting to retract the nut and piston.

11. In a device of the character described, a piston having a threaded rod provided with a longitudinal groove and a rotative connection with the piston, a nut fitting the piston rod, a collar about the piston rod and above the nut and carrying a rib fitting the groove in the rod, a pivoted lever having a cam engaging said collar, and a rotative connection between lever and collar acting on the return movement of the lever.

12. In a device of the character described, a piston having a threaded rod provided with a longitudinal groove and a rotative connection with the piston, a nut fitting the piston rod, a collar about the piston rod and above the nut and carrying a rib fitting the groove in the rod, a pivoted lever having a cam engaging said collar, a rotative connection between lever and collar acting on the return movement of the lever, and a acting to retract the piston.

13. In a device of the character described, a piston having a threaded rod provided with a longitudinal groove and a rotative connection with the piston, a nut fitting the piston rod, a collar about the piston rod and above the nut and carrying a rib fitting the groove in the rod, a lever pivoted above and provided With a cam engaging the colfixed my signature this 24th day of April, lar, a pawl carried by the lever and engag- 1914.

ing the collar to turn it upon the return D. J. MATTHEWS. movement of the lever, and a spring beneath Witnesses: 5 and'acting to lift the nut. G. A. SPENCER,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- H. L. REYNOLDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

